Dr Tim one and only doesn't seem to work for me for cycling new tank

[Gaoweihd]

In my previous two tanks, I used Dr. Tim’s One & Only, and both cycled in under two weeks. For my new 120g tank (see post), I started by mixing RODI water with Red Sea Blue Salt, then added 8oz of Dr. Tim’s One & Only, followed by ammonia to bring it to 2ppm. I followed Dr. Tim's instructions for the first 5 days, but stopped dosing when the ammonia level rose above 4ppm. Since then, I’ve been testing daily, and the results are consistently 4ppm of ammonia and 0 nitrite.

On Day 2, the water turned murky, and by Day 3, it developed a light green tint. I think it might be phytoplankton, but I don’t believe it’s affecting the cycling process.

It's been 24 days and still 4ppm ammonia and 0 nitrite, temp is 78F and salinity is 1.024, Is there anything I might have done wrong? Any advice?

 

[Dan_P]

In my previous two tanks, I used Dr. Tim’s One & Only, and both cycled in under two weeks. For my new 120g tank (see post), I started by mixing RODI water with Red Sea Blue Salt, then added 8oz of Dr. Tim’s One & Only, followed by ammonia to bring it to 2ppm. I followed Dr. Tim's instructions for the first 5 days, but stopped dosing when the ammonia level rose above 4ppm. Since then, I’ve been testing daily, and the results are consistently 4ppm of ammonia and 0 nitrite.

On Day 2, the water turned murky, and by Day 3, it developed a light green tint. I think it might be phytoplankton, but I don’t believe it’s affecting the cycling process.

It's been 24 days and still 4ppm ammonia and 0 nitrite, temp is 78F and salinity is 1.024, Is there anything I might have done wrong? Any advice?

With 0 ppm nitrite,I would suggest the bottle might have been a dud. Maybe it froze during shipping. Try Fritz Turbo Start. It is typically faster than Dr. Tim’s, but it too can become a dud if it freezes.

 

[brandon429]

post tank picture

clue: green growth, many days elapsed past the ammonia line from all cycling charts from books, Im voting likely cycled and a misread. post tank pic

lemme see if surfaces have any growth or if its just suspended

lab techs: imagine bacteria failing to grow in heated, fed, inoculated tank water after 24 days. it'll be teeming, not sterile.

api caused this test relay to us, right? we are basing this cycle off api solely?

worst case scenario: water has been overdosed and isn't cleared yet, never seen that before verified but lets play devil's advocate, but on all submerged surfaces the expected bac slicks are in play because its been a month, in heated/fed/inoc water.

one big water change reveals the slicks to clean water, the system moves fine, but not if you're testing on api / try a seneye instead if u want testing proof.

 

[Spare time]

Just get some fritz marine cycling bacteria. Either the 409 or turbo.

 

[Gaoweihd]

post tank picture

clue: green growth, many days elapsed past the ammonia line from all cycling charts from books, Im voting likely cycled and a misread. post tank pic

lemme see if surfaces have any growth or if its just suspended

lab techs: imagine bacteria failing to grow in heated, fed, inoculated tank water after 24 days. it'll be teeming, not sterile.

api caused this test relay to us, right? we are basing this cycle off api solely?

worst case scenario: water has been overdosed and isn't cleared yet, never seen that before verified but lets play devil's advocate, but on all submerged surfaces the expected bac slicks are in play because its been a month, in heated/fed/inoc water.

one big water change reveals the slicks to clean water, the system moves fine, but not if you're testing on api / try a seneye instead if u want testing proof.

I used the same API test on the other tank and it reads 0 ammonia so I think they’re good. I seeded 3 bottles of pods yesterday to help with the green water. I guess the Dr Tim was frozen during shipping and didn’t work, but with almost one month it should get the bacteria from the environment already, if it stay the same I’ll have to do 50% water change and dose other bacteria

 

[Gaoweihd]

API test result, same every day in the last two weeks, I’m tired of testing now

 

[Spare time]

Your fish are going to want more rock than that

 

[brandon429]

your issue is not # of bacteria, it's attachment places for bacteria and those areas are full

that's a very low surface area display compared to other cycles here, # of bacterial cells again isn't the factor. change the water and proceed with disease plan is the recommend. every tank in my fifty page thread has that same api color above.

with seneye, this thread wouldnt exist

 

[Garf]

it's attachment places for bacteria and those areas are full

Are you sure? How do they grow these bacteria in bulk, for sale? I remember some 1000ltr IBC containers being involved.

 

[Gaoweihd]

your issue is not # of bacteria, it's attachment places for bacteria and those areas are full

that's a very low surface area display compared to other cycles here, # of bacterial cells again isn't the factor. change the water and proceed with disease plan is the recommend. every tank in my fifty page thread has that same api color above.

with seneye, this thread wouldnt exist

I also put a marine pure 8x8x4 block in the sump 2 weeks ago, the added surface area should be more than enough for a 120g system but doesn't seem to work so far.

 

[Gaoweihd]

Your fish are going to want more rock than that

Doesn't fish like more free swim space?

 

[brandon429]

no its that it is working, but that test can't let you see it. api is always at the heart of stuck cycle threads. blanking on another system doesn't fix it, we have that color result just from people moving rocks inside a tank sometimes, its not ammonia causing that but I can see how nobody will believe me in saying it he he. that's my lot in reefing: unending completed cycles where all fish live, but no credit for cycling tanks to completion since api never agrees.

all you need to do is clear your wastewater that will feed algae, that's why you're changing water. the surfaces are full, add more rock, not more bacteria or feed. your tank will carry a common starting bioload, as they all do, after the clean up from gross nutrient initial input/feeding the water bloom (and feeding the bac, quite well)


your cycle isn't broken, none of them are. non seneye posting makes it seem that way.

 

[exnisstech]

Doesn't fish like more free swim space?

They also need hiding places or they are going to be constantly stressed. IMO there should be spot for every fish to call their own.

 

[brandon429]

surface area sequestered in a sump is bottlenecked from wastewater contact time unlike dead center mass in the display, moving biobricks up top is better were there actually a deficit/handy detailing for biosystem planning / filter efficiency.

biobricks aren't all that amazing as surface area because water is not flowing through them, they're not channeled they're passive contact where only the external surfaces are helping, it's about as helpful as equal sized chunk of live rock which in a sump doesn't present as well as display-placed surface area.



after you fix the water, your bioload will never tax this system though unless you put in 20 fish at once. the fact you'll be adding in more rock over time will handle all future bioloads as well, without having to detail-cycle them now that this initial set is ready/it's been a month now.

 

[brandon429]

your thread was really cool in that pics presented the swaying detail, not description or test readings. that really is probably the least surface area I've seen cycled in any reef here, making this interesting for sure.

it's not that you need more bacteria on those rocks: u need more rocks + time for bac * but you aren't going to present for a long time a bioload that will surpass those small rocks currently. very cool cycle thread.


older cycle training never discussed surface area, placement, efficiencies...it only sees bacteria as more=better in every case, and any failed test is due to lack of bacteria/not enough time for them. evidence for that claim: every cycling article I've ever seen written for reefing, print or internet doesnt mention efficiency bottlenecks, surface area placement etc

 

[Gaoweihd]

They also need hiding places or they are going to be constantly stressed. IMO there should be spot for every fish to call their own.

your thread was really cool in that pics presented the swaying detail, not description or test readings. that really is probably the least surface area I've seen cycled in any reef here, making this interesting for sure.

it's not that you need more bacteria on those rocks: u need more rocks + time for bac * but you aren't going to present for a long time a bioload that will surpass those small rocks currently. very cool cycle thread.


older cycle training never discussed surface area, placement, efficiencies...it only sees bacteria as more=better in every case, and any failed test is due to lack of bacteria/not enough time for them. evidence for that claim: every cycling article I've ever seen written for reefing, print or internet doesnt mention efficiency bottlenecks, surface area placement etc

The rocks in my precious picture looks small due to the phone camera but they’re actually half height of the water level.y precious tanks all cycle with live sands and relative bigger rock weight to water ratio. For this new tank I want to have enough space for coral to grow and since it’s an acrylic tank I want enough space between the rock and the edge to prevent scratches.

I threw an old marine pure block to it from my old tank, in the risk of introducing the GHA and aiptacia into it. If it still read 2ppm ammonia in one week I’ll do a big water change and stack more rocks

 

[Spare time]

Doesn't fish like more free swim space?

It depends on the fish. In that size tank, most fish that you will keep prefer to be able to dart in and out of rock caves and crevices. I like for each fish to be able to have a hideaway.